


Truth Revealed

by DryCereal



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Coming Out, M/M, Phil's POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 20:53:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19280977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DryCereal/pseuds/DryCereal
Summary: The aftermath of a very important email.





	Truth Revealed

Initially, Phil thought little of it, (aside from jumping slightly at the sudden noise and movement) when Dan shoved himself away from the desk like the computer had burst into flames, before jumping up out of the chair, looking directly at him and declaring that they should go out.  
  
**Now**.  
  
Such proclamations weren’t exactly uncommon in their household, especially when they’d been cooped up indoors for a couple of days, or, indeed, like now, when Dan seemed a little… rattled.  
  
He’s just grateful that recently, Dan had been less inclined to just disappear off out on his own, instead deman- _inviting_ him along - whilst it was slightly unnerving to be walking with no known destination, in almost complete silence, Dan gnawing distractedly at his lips whilst striding down the streets, it was infinitely better than being sat at home alone worrying about where he was and when he’d come home.  
  
He’s 99% sure this is some sort of therapy goal. Some Dan tells him about, some he doesn’t, but what matters is that even if it isn’t, or if it’s part of a bigger, overarching goal, it’s reassuring to know that Dan isn’t escaping from _him_ , when he feels the need to get out, get away.  
  
Not these days, anyway.  
  
He’s not surprised when Dan takes his phone out of his pocket and leaves it on the arm of the sofa as he passes it on the way to fetch his jacket and shoes. Again, it’s not out of the ordinary, not in this situation at least, and Phil just pats his own pocket, checking for keys, phone and wallet, just in case they’re out for a while.  
  
He doesn’t try and start up a conversation, not as they leave, not in the lift, and not once they’re outside, and Dan sets off down the street. He’s well aware trying won’t get any sort of positive response, and he knows that Dan will, eventually, clue him in (at least vaguely) as to what’s going on, so he’s content to walk silently at his side, extending and taking what comfort he can from them being together.  
  
After what must have been over half an hour’s seemingly destinationless walking, Dan, still silent crosses over the road and heads into Regent’s Park, skirting the outer boundary of the zoo and heading down one of the many paths that criss-cross the greenspace seemingly at random. Eventually, they reach the pond, and it’s not too much further when Dan darts off the path suddenly, and sits down on a wooden bench, sighing, as he stares out over the water.  
  
After a brief pause, Phil sidles up next to him, and sits down too, looking round at their surroundings, resisting the urge to watch Dan instead. He instinctively looks away, cursing inwardly when he can’t help but look over at Dan, and gets caught looking, when he sighs loudly.  
  
“Hey.” Dan starts tentatively. Phil looks up, not expecting Dan to be ready to talk so soon.  
  
“Hi.” he replies, returning the slightly awkward grin Dan flashes him as he answers.  
  
“Sorry for dragging you out.” Dan apologises, motioning for Phil to keep quiet as he goes to reassure him it’s fine. “I know it’s stupid, I just-”  
  
“Needed to get away?” Phil continues, smiling encouragingly as Dan nods, before falling quiet again. Phil, instead of pressing, murmurs “It’s not stupid.” then bites his lip and waits. Dan lets loose a couple of audible sighs over the next few minutes, but aside from a quick glance in his direction, Phil lets him be.  
  
They’ll talk when he’s ready.  
  
Some time later, his phone starts ringing. Loudly. He fumbles in his pocket to silence it, embarrassed, even if it’s only Dan sat with him. When it finally stops ringing, Dan huffs out a laugh, smiling and rolling his eyes, then giggling slightly when Phil sticks his tongue out in retaliation. It’s enough to break the tension that had settled over the pair of them, and after a deep breath, Dan starts.  
  
“It’s family stuff. Well, it’s.. It’s…” he trails off, frowning, and Phil’s phone rings again. This time he manages to shut it off in his pocket after a couple of seconds, and Dan immediately blurts  
  
“I decided how to tell them. About... me.”  
  
The pause breaks Phil’s heart for about the umpteenth time in the past year. Ever since Dan uploaded his video last year, one he wasn’t really fully happy with, they’d been discussing and planning on making this… these announcements. Dan was set on making a video, laying everything out bare for the world to see, so he could move on, be open (well… honest, but as private as they wanted to be) and unapologetic about who he was and what they were to each other. But before that, he’d wanted to let those closest to him - to _them,_ know first.  
  
Actually telling them though, had proven… difficult. For both of them. Dan had made more trips to Berkshire in the past six months than he probably had since he’d moved to Manchester, but each time he’d returned home despondent and doubtful that he’d ever be able to tell his family, those closest to him those three words.  
  
What really hurt was that it was hurting him. And there wasn’t anything Phil could do to make it stop hurting.  
  
After Easter, when he returned home, Dan had flopped down onto the sofa, buried his head in Phil’s lap, and murmured “I can’t do it.” Phil had sat for hours, long after Dan had fallen asleep, just stroking the back of his head and pretending he couldn’t feel the silent tears soaking into his shorts.  
  
They hadn’t discussed it since. Until _now_ , but-  
  
Phil snarls as his phone starts ringing yet again, this time, dragging it out of his pocket and looking at the screen, annoyed and ready to throw it into the lake, let alone switch it off, that is, until he sees who it is calling.  
  
“Dan’s Mum” flashes on the screen as the phone continues ringing in his hand. He offers it to Dan, who refuses to take it, or to make eye contact, instead mumbling “She’s phoning **you** ” in the general direction of his knees.  
  
Curiosity wins out over cautiousness as Phil draws the phone back towards himself and answers.  
  
“Hi Phil, sorry to keep ringing but is Dan… is he with you?”  
  
“Hiya! Sorry I didn’t answer before, I-” He’s interrupted before he has to lie and say he hadn’t realised someone was calling.  
  
“It’s ok Phil, I just… Is he OK?”  
  
So much for lying.  
  
“Yeah, he’s here, we went out, but I don’t think he has his phone with him.”  
  
“Oh, that’s OK. Just…he’s with you? He’s alright?“ Phil frowns at that, wondering what he’s missing.  
  
“He’s here. Do you-” he asks, hesitantly, stopping dead as Dan flinches beside him. Luckily, it doesn’t go unnoticed by his mother on the other end of the line. Instead, he quickly hits the speaker icon on the screen so Dan can at least hear both sides of the call as she continues.  
  
“No, that’s okay. He just sent me an email earlier and I’ve only just read it. Erm. Can you tell him-” Phil glances at Dan, but he’s deliberately looking away. Phil, slightly confused by events, but recognising that his boyfriend very obviously needs some support, places his hand on his knee and squeezes lightly as she continues.  
  
“Tell him that I love him, and that I always will. Always have. That’s… that’s all.” Dan tenses, then relaxes slightly, dropping his head into his hands. Phil watches, as realisation dawns, and he moves his hand up, stroking it up and down Dan’s spine soothingly.  
  
The call is over fairly quickly after that, he can’t remember what’s said after that, he’s too focussed on Dan, but he belatedly hopes he was at least polite enough to say goodbye before she hangs up. He continues stroking Dan’s back, before reaching across and pulling Dan into his side. At first he flops sideways across his lap, but after a little while he sits up, and makes eye contact, albeit with eyes full of unshed tears.  
  
“OK?” Phil murmurs, reaching up to push Dan’s hair back off his forehead.  
  
“OK.” Dan replies, as he blinks the tears away. “Phil… I… You… Thank-you.”  
  
“But I didn’t-”  
  
“For everything.”  
  
He doesn’t respond to that. He can’t, his throat won’t let him form any words suddenly, but he presses a kiss to Dan’s hair as he leans on his shoulder, smiling finally.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Pride 2019 Flash Fic Fest. Thanks to Paula for the hand-holding that got me to finish this. <3
> 
> Hope you liked it, please do let me know if you did! As always, I'm on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/DryCerealThief) or [Tumblr](https://drycerealthief.tumblr.com). <3


End file.
